It's Fate
by Wolf-007
Summary: ON HIATUS. Kirk/Spock eventually. When Spock became Kirk's second-in-command he had no idea what he was getting into.
1. Chapter 1

Chapters: 1/?  
Rating: PG – PG-13  
Warnings: Unbeta'd.  
Pairing: Eventual K/S with very, very little U/S in the beginning.  
Summary: When Spock became Kirk's second-in-command he had no idea what he was getting into.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek.

AN: I don't normally write from first person. This is unbeta'd so any mistakes I make are my own. A.K.A., if you see any glaring mistakes please tell me and I'll try to fix them. This is my first attempt at a Star Trek fanfiction. I accept con crit.

Chapter 1

After the incident the Federation had begun to refer to as the Nero Incident, I had been planning on resigning from Starfleet. It would have been the logical action for me, with so few Vulcans left; everyone was needed to rebuild the Vulcan culture.

The talk with my counterpart confused me. His actions during the Nero Incident had been illogical and dangerous. He could not have guaranteed that his plan would be successful. We might share the same DNA, but we were from different universes and were different people. He could not have been sure I would react the same way he would have.

Yet, I did not resign from Starfleet as I had been planning to. It was as logical for me to stay with Starfleet as it was for me to leave it. After the Nero Incident, Starfleet was also lacking in available resources. Many of the more experienced officers had been piloting the starships that were destroyed in the attack of Vulcan.

I stayed with Starfleet, but elected to return to instructing at Starfleet Academy. At my request to return to teaching, Starfleet Command countered my request by offering me a command of my own, but I declined. I believed myself too emotionally compromised to captain a starship.

Under normal circumstances, I would have no problems with the stress a command offered, but since the destruction of Vulcan, I had not been able to meditate properly. Therefore, I was not sure I could handle the stress. I was not willing to risk my subordinates' lives, hence my request to be transferred from active duty. Starfleet decided that from the loss of personal in the actual battle to the Vulcans resigning from Federation projects to settle on the new colony, they would rather have me employed then not so my request was granted. As the U.S.S. Enterprise left for its newest mission, I began to instruct a new class of Starfleet cadets.

Admiral Pike, who had been confined to desk duty, requested I track the progress of the Enterprise despite my position at the Academy. His reasons were unknown to me, none of the projects I contributed to or monitored relevant to the Enterprise. The only connection I still had to the Enterprise was Nyota, but it was a personal connection. It did not require me to track the official progress of the Enterprise on its missions as Admiral Pike had requested.

I consider Admiral Pike an intelligent being though. He must have had some reasoning behind his request for me to watch the Enterprise. No matter how many angles I considered it from, I could not see his reasoning, but I did not ignore his request and checked on the Enterprise's status twice daily.

It was because of Admiral Pike's request that I knew of the Enterprise's return to Earth after a string of small missions. So, when I returned to my office late after an evening class I was expecting to find Nyota waiting outside my office, instead, I Found Captain Kirk waiting for me inside my office.

Captain Kirk was sprawled on the couch set against one of the walls of my office. He appeared to be asleep. I took a moment to study him because it was a curious anomaly to find him in my office. One would have expected him to be at a bar or having sexual intercourse with whoever he deemed attractive that night. Since the captain did not appear to have been drinking, have had sexual intercourse, or to have been involved in an altercation involving sexual intercourse, I wondered as to his purpose. My office had been locked.

He appeared to be asleep until I closed my office door behind me with more force than necessary. My action proved successful in startling him out of his doze. His whole body tensed as he jerked upwards at the sudden noise. He looked around with a guarded expression until he spotted me and relaxed back against the couch with a sleepy smirk on his face.

"About breaking into your office," Captain Kirk maintained his smirk, but it lost the sleepy aspect, "I was tired and didn't know when you'd be back. I figured I'd wait somewhere more comfortable then the hallway. Also thought that this option would get less questions asked."

"Have you gone through my records?" I questioned. I ignored the Captain Kirk's statement about having less questions asked because I would not have put it past him to give into the temptation my records presented. I wanted to know if I had to redo any of my lesson plans his investigating might have compromised.

"Nope." Captain answered in one word. "Uhura couldn't make it by the way. The Enterprise is leaving again tomorrow night and it's not fair to authorize shore leave for only one person. We only need a few last minute updates before our newest mission." Captain Kirk explained as if I had been going to ask where Nyota was. I had not been planning on asking, but I did not mind the explanation either.

"Is there a reason for your visit?" I inquired aloud. He had yet to offer an explanation for breaking into my office and that was what I was most curious about.

Captain Kirk's smirk grew into a wide grin. He stood up and stretched before moving around my office. I remained standing in the middle of my office with my hands interlocked behind my back. I watched Captain Kirk as he settled to lean against the edge of my desk. Once he was comfortable, he looked back at me. His blue eyes regarded me with a relaxed but equally guarded expression. It was a curious combination of emotions to be displayed.

"Long story short, I lost my science officer during the first of the most recent string of missions," Captain Kirk started, "and Bones…" I assume he noticed my disapproval of Dr. McCoy's nickname when he corrected, "I mean Dr. McCoy told me I needed to find a new one. Now Command is telling me the same thing…."

He stopped. I wondered if he was waiting for me to comment, but since he had not finished with his point, I saw no reason to say anything. Captain Kirk waited for a few moments before shrugging and continuing.

"I want to ask you something." Captain Kirk said slowly. I wondered if the question was at all related to his unfinished thought about not having a science officer.

"Yes?"

"Will you be the science officer on the Enterprise?" Captain Kirk asked quickly. He seemed nervous, an emotion I had not associated with Captain Kirk. He should not have been nervous. It was only a simple yes or no question.

"I will not take the position." I answered.

Captain Kirk's face adapted a confused expression. "I've already cleared it with Command though."

"I will not take the position," I repeated.

"Why?" Captain Kirk asked.

"I do not wish to serve on a starship." Captain Kirk eyed me suspiciously.

"I'm not asking you to take command." He growled. I merely raised an eyebrow at him. "Bullshit, Spock, you're the most emotionally stable person I know. I don't see any problems with you serving on the Enterprise," he stated seriously. I wondered if he had forgotten I tried to kill him.

"I did not say I was unfit to serve on a starship, only that I did not wish to serve on one. There is a difference," I pointed out. "But if I am the most emotionally stable person you know, Captain Kirk, I wonder as to the emotional state of your crew. It would seem there is another reason behind Starfleet Command's numerous requests for me to return to active duty."

Captain Kirk looked at me for a long moment as if he was not quite sure what I had just said. Then, he laughed. His emotions did not follow any kind of pattern. I had just insulted something he cared about yet he was laughing over it. It was not the normal pattern of human emotions I had observed. I observed most humans were offended, not humored.

"You just insulted me." Captain Kirk crowed triumphantly. "You just insulted me!"

"I heard you the first time you stated your accusation, you did not have to repeat the statement a second time."

"You questioned my emotional state." Captain Kirk leaped up from his my chair. He started forward with hands on his hips.

"If I had any question to your emotional state, I would have reported my concern to Starfleet Command already." I commented matter-of-factly.

"But you said that if you were the most emotionally stable person I knew, you wondered as to the emotional state of my crew."

"Yes. I know what I said. You did not have to repeat it."

Captain Kirk paused to think of a response and when he could not, he opened and closed his mouth several times. Some humans relate this look to a fish, but I do not believe Captain Kirk looked at all like a fish considering he was neither underwater nor did he possess scales and gills. Finally, when he could not think of anything to say, Captain Kirk sat back in the chair behind my desk. Propping his feet up on my desk, Captain Kirk just looked at me.

"What's your answer Spock?"

I did not recall having missed a question. I had answered his original question. "My answer, Captain?"

"Will you be the Enterprise's Science Officer?" Captain Kirk asked again. He had already asked this question and I had already answered him.

"No," I stated. "Now will you please leave my office? I have several hours of work left to complete."

Captain Kirk simply linked his hands behind his head and smiled at me. I felt my suppressed irritation rise. Captain Kirk's persistence to his inquiry was impeding on my ability to finish my work before the morning, the reason for my irritation.

"You're sure you want to turn this down Spock? This is the last time I'm going to offer. Do you want the position as the science officer on the Enterprise?"

My hands tightened their hold on each other behind my back involuntarily. I was glad Captain Kirk could not see them. I had already answered his question twice. My answer would not change; I did not understand why he continued to ask. My mind began to formulate a theory on how long it would take for Captain Kirk to understand I would not change my answer.

"I am quite pleased with my position at the Academy. I do not want the position." I paused. "Why would I even desire the position?" I questioned. It was a legitimate question. My service record would show I only worked on a starship when it was required of me for time at the Academy and most recently for the Nero Incident.

"Why not? A chance of adventure, meet new people, observe new scientific discoveries, etcetera, etcetera. Plus, you would see Uhura more often and in person too. Who knows how long you would go without seeing her given the current state of the Fleet." Captain Kirk listed.

"I do not see how the reference to my personal relationship with Lieutenant Uhura is related to why I should desire to serve on the Enterprise," I growled. Captain Kirk had no concept of personal privacy.

He raised his hands as a sign of surrendering, not that there was any reason or anything for him to surrender to. "Okay, I get the point, stay out of your personal life when reasoning with you, and no, you won't accept the position."

Without more protesting, surprising me, Captain Kirk left me to the work I still had to complete.

Half an hour before classes started the next morning, there was a knock on my office door. I had been working since Captain Kirk had left my office with only a short break of sustenance, so I determined I could take another short break to answer the door without falling behind in the work I had yet to complete. When I bade the person on the opposite side of the door to enter, one of Admiral Pike's assistants crossed the threshold of my office. The young cadet looked nervous and was carrying a message that I was to see Admiral Pike as soon as I got the message.

"Please convey that I would like to comply with Admiral Pike's summons, but I am unable to see him now because the proximity to the time of the start of classes." I told the cadet.

He shifted uneasily as he tried to decipher what I had said. "Admiral Pike insists that you come to see him now. He says it won't take long and you'll be able to get to class on time."

I held back a sigh. I could complete the work I had left in the time I had before class began, but the summons to Admiral Pike's office took precedence over my work. Setting the stylus to my PADD into its holder, I gathered the other materials I would need for instructing and followed the cadet to Admiral Pike's office.

When I entered his office, Admiral Pike glanced up and immediately stopped his work to dig through the unorganized stack of PADDS on one edge of his desk. He finally held up a PADD for me to take. I walked across the office; the cadet had left and closed the door behind him, and took the PADD from Admiral Pike's hand. I glanced at it long enough to read it before sharply returning my gaze to Admiral Pike.

"I do not understand." I said more calmly then I felt. The hand not holding the PADD was curled in a fist, held at the small of my back.

"That's a new one on me." Admiral Pike gave me a weary smile. "I was told to give you the news because the other admirals thought you would take the news badly." I continued to stare at him as emotionlessly as I could. "It's a transfer, Spock. You're being transferred to the Enterprise as its science officer."

"I turned down Captain Kirk's offer." I felt it was necessary to point out.

"In case you haven't figured out, Kirk went above your head to request you though Command. Command couldn't think of a reason to refuse their newest poster boy." Admiral Pike explained the obvious. He knew my silence was a sign that I was less then pleased with the order. He tried to convince me I should be happier with the transfer. "Spock, you should be pleased. The Enterprise has the brightest future of any ship in Fleet. There are many who would kill to be in your position."

"I might find it safer to have people set on killing me for the job offer I do not want rather than being on the Enterprise itself." I commented offhandedly. Admiral Pike let out a dry chuckle at I am sure was at the shocked expression I was displaying. The expression shock from how I had let the comment slip so easily from my mouth.

"Spock?" Admiral Pike questioned. He face still held an amused expression. "Is there a problem with the Enterprise that should be repaired before it leaves tonight?"

The question was a challenge in a way. Admiral Pike was challenging me to say what I really thought of Captain Kirk. He knew I would not outright insult the captain.

"Permission to speak freely, Admiral?"

"Granted." Admiral Pike agreed almost instantly.

"I find no fault with the Enterprise." I answered respectfully. "I find the Enterprise's captain most illogical though. The actions Captain Kirk took during the Nero Incident put more people than necessary at risk. I find it irrational for Starfleet to continue to employ Captain Kirk as a captain if they do not want to lose their best and newest ship."

Admiral Pike sighed. "You lost."

"Lost, Admiral?" I asked him to elaborate.

Admiral Pike chuckled again. "You're not going to be able to get out of the transfer.

"I think that your logic is the only reason Starfleet Command transferred you to active duty. I don't pretend to understand the Command's inner workings, but I know Command is hoping you will keep Kirk logical and bail him out of trouble when he needed."

"Most illogical." I muttered. Starfleet Command would know Captain Kirk and I did not work well together. We had both filed reports about the incident that had led to my resigning command. I resolved, in my mind, to find some regulation in Starfleet's numerous policies that would allow me to have Starfleet retract the transfer order with no consequence to Captain Kirk or me.

"There's no point in trying to get out of it. I pointed out before; you're not going to be able to get out of it." Admiral Pike informed me. He had either worked with me long enough to predict my line of thinking or my emotions must have started to show. To be sure it was not the latter, I quickly schooled my features. "You might as well accept your fate. Short of defying a direct order or quitting Starfleet, you're stuck on the Enterprise until it's decided you should be taken off it."

My suppressed irritation rose to a level that almost allowed it to leave the carefully constructed box for it in the back of my mind. It did not escape though and I was able to push it back. I did send a glare in Admiral Pike's direction, as much as an emotionless façade would allow at least.

"Fate, Spock. It's fate. Stardock 6B at 2000," Admiral Pike announced as the bell for the start of classes rang.

"I do not believe in fate." I snapped before storming out of the office to my first class of the day.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter: 2/?  
Rating: PG - PG-13  
Warnings: Unbeta'd.  
Pairing: Eventual K/S and very, very little S/U in the beginning  
Summary: When Spock agreed to be Kirk's second-in-command he had no idea what he was getting into.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek.

AN: I am going to continue this in first person because no one objects and because by the number of hits I got I assume people like it. Also Spock is not necessarily the happiest person in this fic. I have a whole reasoning behind it, but that reasoning is really long and I don't want to bore you guys. I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to make this chapter anywhere close to as long as the first one, but as it turns out, Spock's inner voice has a lot to comment on. I accept flames.

On another quick note, I have a lot of homework so I might not be updating this as fast as I like. Updates will be irregular because they will depend on how much work I have. Less work = updates more often. More work = updates less often.

Chapter 2

I spent the time in between the classes I was instructing trying to convince Starfleet Command that I was not a suitable choice as first officer on the U.S.S. Enterprise. I had no success. Starfleet Command was convinced that my presence on aboard the Enterprise was best for everyone. There was no evidence I could bring forth to make Starfleet Command consider revoking the transfer order.

That is why I stood, with my materials packed, on the platform of Stardock 6B3 a few minutes before 1930. It was also the reason I stood staring at Enterprise as the sun began to disappear behind the curve of the Earth throwing light on the Enterprise.

I must confess the Enterprise looked rather majestic. In another hour, the repair crews would be using the massive floodlights to see by. Right now though, the Enterprise was framed by gold, accenting its white metal hull. I speculated if the Enterprise would look as majestic under the floodlights. It was not quite dark enough for the lights to be on though so I was only left with the images I could imagine.

Shuttles and people moved around outside the stardock getting the Enterprise ready for its five year mission. Clearly, there were more than a few "last minute updates", then Captain Kirk had told me about the night before. I found myself quite satisfied with observing the bustle people preparing the Enterprise.

I was still staring at the sun-framed ship when I heard someone approach me from behind. I deduced from the pattern of the footfalls that it was Captain Kirk. His footsteps were the only warning I had before he invaded my personal space. A warm hand fell heavily on my shoulder and warmth I was unaccustomed to seeped into my veins. I felt the electricity between Captain Kirk and me increase. I tensed.

"I see you showed up," Captain Kirk greeted me cheerfully. I was sure he was unaware the effect his hand on my shoulder had on me. He checked his PADD, "and you're right on time, not that I expected anything else from you."

Before I could reply in any manner, I found myself staring at his hand. Captain Kirk followed my gaze. He blinked and, for a moment, seemed to be turning a thought over in his head before he quickly removed his hand from my shoulder.

"I was ordered to report to the Enterprise at 1930 for duty. I would have been disobeying a direct order if I had not appeared." I stated.

"So, you couldn't get out of it?" Captain Kirk had a very self-satisfied smirk on his face. I had my suspicions that he knew exactly how hard I had been trying to get out of the transfer and had managed to prevent my efforts from working.

"I do not see how that is relevant to my reporting for duty." I declared.

I began to move towards the bridge between the stardock and the Enterprise. Captain Kirk stood for a few seconds as my dismissal sank in. Before I had gotten far, he jogged to catch up with me.

"Please don't start," Captain Kirk begged me as he fell into step next to me. I shot him an inquiring look. I had no idea what I was not supposed to start.

"Start what exactly, Captain?"

"The whole no emotions deal, it'll be a very long five years if you refuse to show any emotions. I mean come on, look who you're talking to. I can't really see this working otherwise."

In my head, I made a note to be as unemotional as possible. We had not been walking towards the bridge as I expected, but rather towards the lifts that lead to the private quarters on the Enterprise. I had not realized I was letting Captain Kirk lead the way, but on more careful mental review I decided my brain had subconsciously guided me towards these lifts. I knew where I was going after all. The first officer's quarters were the ones I had resided in under Admiral Pike and during the Nero Incident. Captain Kirk was merely walking and talking with me as I made my way to set my belongings in my quarters.

We stopped at the lifts. Captain Kirk turned to me as if to comment in way I could only assume was going to be insulting.

"I… Be on the bridge at the beginning 2200." Captain Kirk ordered before turning to stride away. "That's when were leaving so you better make sure you have everything you want from Earth before then."

"Acknowledged Captain," I nodded.

Captain Kirk left me to descend to the first officer's quarters alone. I was grateful for the silence. It allowed me to begin to gather my thoughts. I considered how much time it would take me to unpack my possessions and determined that I had enough time to meditate before my presence was required on the bridge.

In my quarters, I was not surprised to see that nothing had changed. Even if Dr. McCoy had been the first officer in my absence, he was primarily the chief medical officer so it was more logical for him to keep his quarters as chief medical officer because those quarters were closer to the Enterprise's medical facilities.

It did not take long for me to unpack my belongings. The books I had decided to bring were placed on the single bookcase built into the wall and were shelved alphabetically. I had not chosen to bring many books so the books I had fit on the bookcase easily. The clothes went into the drawers and the toiletries went into the bathroom. I placed my meditation candles on an empty shelf directly above my books. The solitary picture I had went on the bedside table.

The picture had been one of the few whims my father granted my mother. It had been for her birthday. She had wanted a picture of the three of us as a family. I remember having it taken. My father insisted that I dress formally though my mother did not care how I dressed. My father won the argument, I dressed in formal attire. I also remembered my mother sending it to me while I was at Starfleet Academy. I had never understood her insistence for it being kept in my possession, but upon her death, I was beginning to see the sentimental value of possessing such an image.

Having finished unpacking, I lit the meditation candles and unrolled my meditation matt on the floor. Sitting cross-legged on the matt, I closed my eyes and focused on the scent of the candles across the room. It proved difficult. The death of my mother, my annoyance at Captain Kirk and a number of other small emotional problems kept my mind in turmoil. I had not even begun to grasp my anger, grief and frustration when there was a persistent banging on the door to my quarters.

"Commander Spock," Captain Kirk yelled.

I frowned. There was no reason for Captain Kirk to be pounding at my door. The last time I had checked I had an hour and a half before I needed to be on the bridge. Rechecking the clock, I found that I was ten minutes late for my shift, hardly a reason come find me. Meditating had not been gone well, but I had been sure I had more time before my shift started. I quickly extinguished the candles and opened the door for Captain Kirk.

He had been about to start pounding on the door again when I opened it. The result was a startled look on Captain Kirk's face as he stood with his fist raised. I waited for him to react. Slowly, he dropped his hand to his side.

"You're late for your shift." Captain Kirk commented matter-of-factly.

"I am sorry. I was meditating and I miscalculated the time I had before the shift started." I explained.

Captain Kirk gestured that I should walk with him. He had come to retrieve me after all so he was returning to the same place I was going. It was logical for me to walk with him. We were both quiet for a few minutes as we traversed the corridor to the lift.

"How was meditating," Captain Kirk asked as we waited for the lift to arrive.

I did not answer, choosing to stare straight ahead at the closed lift doors.

"The Enterprise herself is more emotional." Captain Kirk muttered under his breath.

It took 78.345 seconds for me to reign in my temper. Captain Kirk had already told me he wanted to be more emotional. I had not responded and did not intend on responding. If Captain Kirk was going to keep pressing the issue, I was not sure I would be able to keep my temper under control around the captain.

"You are the one who ordered my presence aboard the Enterprise. If certain characteristics are undesirable I suggest you tell Starfleet that I will not work out after all." I stated calmly.

"I can't get you transferred." Captain Kirk confessed. "Admiral Pike told me that once I made my decision regarding your transfer I had to stick to it because he wasn't going to change it."

"Then, Captain, I ask you to go without requesting me to stop restraining my emotions. To not restrain my emotions would be insulting my cultural upbringing."

"That's a load of bullshit."

"Captain, I am not sure I am able to control my temper. I request you refrain from trying my emotions." I felt my temper rise and worked to quell it quickly. I was determined not to lose my temper with him again. It was hard though because my temper had been simmering all day with thoughts of the transfer. By this time, the lift to the bridge had arrived. Captain Kirk waited until the lift doors closed before he turned to me again.

"That's a load of bullshit," he repeated.

"Captain Kirk, please," I protested. I closed my eyes and pushed my anger down as hard as I could.

"That's bullshit, if you were fully Vulcan…." Captain Kirk started.

I honestly tried to reign in my temper, but found I could not. I grabbed Captain Kirk by the neck and with relatively little effort shoved him against the lift wall. The lift was still rising rapidly towards the bridge. I shoved Captain Kirk against the emergency stop giving us the privacy until it was pressed again. The lift stopped smoothly and suddenly.

Captain Kirk had wide blue eyes trained on my face expressing he could not quite believe this was happening again. This time though, there was no one around to restrain or remind me against my actions. The Vulcan side of my brain was working hard to control the anger boiling over from its carefully locked compartment. Instead of driving the anger back, I only managed to make it boil over more. I was unable to stop my anger.

When Captain Kirk came to the same conclusion I had, I was not able to stop his slow murder at my hands, I saw fear begin to creep into his eyes. He struggled against me violently, but my chokehold would not allow him to get enough air for him to continue to fight me for long. Panic and overwhelming fear flowed through my veins quite suddenly. It was a sensation I was unused to. I dropped Captain Kirk rapidly causing him to land in a heap on the gray lift floor.

It took Captain Kirk a moment to realize I was longer gripping him before he carefully untangled himself and sat up gingerly. Rubbing his neck where I had been gripping it, Captain Kirk hauled himself to his feet before hitting the emergency stop button again. The lift resumed its rising as smoothly as it stopped. I could feel Captain's Kirk gaze on me as the lift continued towards the bridge.

"I am sorry Captain." I apologized respectfully. I took a step away trying to put as much distance between the captain and myself as was possible in the lift. I did not want a repeat of what had just happened. To further prevent against such events from recurring, I linked my hands behind my back.

Captain Kirk gave me a look I could not translate into a single human emotion. There were still obvious traces of fear in his eyes. I was not surprised at the fear because I had come close to killing him, but I did not understand the fear coming from Captain Kirk. For someone who claimed there were no no-win situations, a supposed death at my hands should not have frightened Captain Kirk badly. He should have been thinking of ways out of his death. He looked like he was going to say something in regards to my apology, but he did not have a chance because the lift doors opened. Captain Kirk stepped out of the lift onto the bridge rubbing his neck absentmindedly.

The senior crew members on the bridge turned to look as we entered. They gave us looks of confusion. I had the sudden inclination Captain Kirk had not told the other crew members the entire truth behind the return to Earth. I disapproved of Captain Kirk's decision to keep relevant information from the rest of the crew. It was not a way to run a successful starship. People had to know information for everything to operate smoothly.

As I followed the captain past the communications station, Nyota gave me a private, shy smile. I felt warmth spread through me at that smile. It was illogical. A smile from her should not have made me feel that way. We had not had sexual intercourse, so no bond existed between us and I was not touching her so it could not be a feeling of warmth spreading though her. Yet the warmth was still there. I was quickly distracted from the smile when Dr. McCoy jumped up from the captain's chair. His sudden movement appeared to be to examine where Captain Kirk was rubbing his neck. Captain Kirk did not wave off Dr. McCoy's examination soon enough because Dr. McCoy caught sight of the visible bruises I had just left on Captain Kirk's neck.

"Damn it Jim," Dr. McCoy cursed. "You were only down there for one night. Yet you managed to get someone mad enough at you to try and strangle you. You're a grown man I shouldn't have to monitor your every movement. What did you do accuse someone of being something they weren't?"

Captain Kirk cocked his head. I found it eerie how Dr. McCoy had been able to guess the reason behind the bruises. Captain Kirk neither confirmed nor denied the statement, but chose to look at me with a thoughtful expression. "It was something like that," he murmured.

I made sure my features were carefully blank. I did not want anyone to pick up the guilt I was feeling for having lost my temper with Captain Kirk. No one else seemed to notice Captain Kirk's gaze was on me and he soon turned from me to Dr. McCoy.

"Bones, I'm not hurt." Captain Kirk insisted.

"Jim…." Dr. McCoy sighed, but did not continue to pressure Captain Kirk into telling him what had happened. He merely placed his fingers on the bruise marks and pressed. Captain Kirk let out a small yelp.

"It doesn't hurt." Captain Kirk protested. He plopped down in the captain's chair. Dr. McCoy remained in place with hands on his hips, glaring as if his friend's habits displeased him. I had been glad to be rid of their bickering during my time on Earth.

"Jim, if it hurts when I touch then you are hurt and I need to treat you."

"Once again, Bones, it doesn't hurt or at least it doesn't hurt that bad. Don't you have a sickbay to attend to?"

Dr. McCoy let out a low growl and whirled towards the lifts. He took a few steps before noticing, for the first time, that I was on the bridge. The glare Dr. McCoy sent in my direction was accusatory as if he knew that it was I who had left the finger-sized bruises on Captain Kirk's neck. It was impossible for him to know this because the lifts did not have cameras. Trying not to bring attention to myself, I met Dr. McCoy's glare with an even look.

"What's _he_ doing on board?" Dr. McCoy snarled pointing a finger at me. Captain Kirk looked up to see who Dr. McCoy was asking about though he knew it had to be me. There were no other new crewmen on the bridge.

"Spock is my first officer." Captain Kirk replied before I could.

Everyone's actions stopped as they regarded Captain Kirk and me with blank faces. I looked to see Nyota's reaction to Captain Kirk's announcement. Her smile was about the same size as her earlier smile, but I could tell that she was trying hard to keep it from expanding.

"Jim, I knew you were going to replace me, but did it have to be with _him_?" Dr. McCoy had not said anything directly derogative, but the implication of his words was obvious.

"Is that going to be a problem, Bones?" Captain Kirk asked. The rest of the crew simply watched the exchange with the same interest most humans reserve for disasters.

"Not as long as that green-blooded hobgoblin stays out of my way, I don't care if he's on board." Dr. McCoy snapped before storming off the bridge.

It was illogical for Dr. McCoy to still be upset over what had happened during the Nero Incident. Captain Kirk and I had settled our differences. Dr. McCoy had not even been involved in the original dispute so there was no reason for him to still be upset. To my knowledge, I had not done anything that Dr. McCoy knew about to upset him since I had come aboard.

Captain Kirk half turned to look at me. His chin was resting on his hand and he had propped himself so one leg dangled over the arm of the captain's chair. He had a rather large, amused grin on his face. I had no idea why he was smiling. His close friend had just stormed off rather upset while Captain Kirk looked pleased with Dr. McCoy's reaction.

"That was Bones' way of saying you're part of the crew now. Congratulations, Spock, you're in." Captain Kirk announced. I found Dr. McCoy's anger an interesting initiation to becoming a permanent part of the crew. "Welcome to the U.S.S. Enterprise."

"There is no need to welcome me, Captain. I have already been on the Enterprise several times before being assigned to it."

"Welcome to the U.S.S. Enterprise," Captain Kirk repeated.

"Kirk, there's a message coming in from Starfleet." Nyota announced. "Starfleet wants to know why we haven't left yet. They're also sending the details of our new mission. The mission sends us to PK45 in the Cascade System."

Captain Kirk's demeanor changed at once from joking to serious. "Tell Starfleet we just miscalculated the time and have the details of the mission sent to my PADD." He instructed Nyota. "Chekov, set a course for PK45."

"Course laid in, sir." Ensign Chekov replied quickly. His Russian accent blurred his words slightly.

"When you're cleared it with Starfleet, clear the stardock at one quarter impulse power. When you're clear from the stardock go to warp one until we clear the system then go up to warp five." Captain Kirk ordered.

"Yes, sir." Lieutenant Commander Sulu responded. He began to flick the various switches to disconnect the Enterprise from the stardock and start the engines. Soon, the hum of engines kicked in and the Enterprise began to move from the stardock.

Sighing, Captain Kirk leaned back in his chair. He looked at home in the position of command. He had taken out his PADD and I presumed was going over the details of the mission. Lowering it slightly, he sent me an odd look.

"Spock, Admiral Pike sends you his regards and says to tell you thank you for allowing fate to run its course." Jim read aloud from the PADD. I could tell he was hoping for me to elaborate, but when I did not Captain Kirk merely shrugged and went back to reading the details of the mission on his PADD.

I do not believe in the human concept of time moving more slowly than it actually does. I do not believe in human phrases like "long minute". Minutes are always 60 seconds no matter where you are. I did however find myself thinking that the next five years could possibly be the longest I had ever faced.


End file.
